


Five Hits Ray Ordered, and the One He Didn’t (It Only Looked Like He Did)

by sperrywink



Category: due South
Genre: 5+1 Things, Gen, The Bookman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-06
Updated: 2013-10-06
Packaged: 2017-12-28 15:27:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/993529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sperrywink/pseuds/sperrywink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What it says on the tin. Complementary work to Scribe's amazing Ray Vecchio as Armando Langoustini/The Bookman vid <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/994002">which can be found here.</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	Five Hits Ray Ordered, and the One He Didn’t (It Only Looked Like He Did)

**Author's Note:**

> No time for a beta, sad to say. All mistakes are mine.

~ONE~

Ray looked at the stern faces on the other side of his desk, and he knew what was expected of him. For a moment the words stuck in his throat, and wild fantasies of not following through danced in his brain, but then he firmed his resolve, and letting that show on his face, he nodded. “You know what to do?”

Jimmy and Vinnie nodded just as seriously back.

“I want there to be no doubt in his mind that he should never have crossed me,” Ray continued. In reality, in his heart, he couldn’t stand by and order a hit without taking responsibility. He knew he would have to live with the consequences, and he could only do that by seeing it through to the bloody end.

Vinnie said, “Right, boss.” He looked like he approved, they both did, but neither was stupid enough to say anything. The Bookman had always inspired fear, which was working to Ray’s benefit as he found his feet. Of course the same reign of fear had to continue under Ray, or else this whole undercover operation would fail, but it put Ray in a bind. He had known these would be the repercussions though. The Feds had given him a song and dance about the common good, and ridding the world of scum, but he had known the truth. He would become just as tainted as those he hunted.

~TWO~

Ray had always considered Chicago his town through and through. He knew the neighborhoods, the rhythm and pulse of her streets. Coming to Vegas as The Bookman showed him that he had been nothing in Chicago. Just another nameless face walking a beat, and not a player in her evolution at all. Vegas was tawdry and cheap, grandiose and overblown, but The Bookman _owned_ it to its core. Everyone knew him, from the local union rep, to the city council members, and most everybody was in his pocket. Even Zuko would be considered a small-time hood in Vegas.

Ray had never been treated with this much respect and deference, not even when he had made detective. It was intoxicating, and Ray would have loved it if he wasn't reminded of the price with every turn. There was always some up-and-coming thug who wanted a piece of The Bookman's territory, and he had to defend it with an iron fist.

Which meant he was only three months into this gig, and he was already in his second bind. This time it was Anthony Lamondo who was causing the trouble for The Bookman. A coward like Zuko, but one who came from a big Eastern Family, and who was trying to break into Vegas for them, he had a lot of dumb muscle behind him. 

Ray knew that even more than the first hit, he had to send a message with this one. The guy couldn't just disappear, that wasn't a strong enough message to the Eastern Families. Just the thought of a gruesome hit made bile rise in Ray's throat, but he held it back, and kept his face blank as his lieutenants discussed the best way to send a message. The final decision would be Ray’s, so he had to look as resolute as everyone else .

~THREE~

Ray listened as the debate raged around him. He thought he would have a breather after the Lamondo guy was dealt with, but no such luck. Now the City Council was trying to flex its muscles, and break free of The Bookman’s control. As usual, Ray’s people wanted to send a message the only way they knew how.

Finally fed up, in a carrying voice, Ray said, “No,” breaking up the discussions in the room. As silence fell and everyone looked at him, he continued. “We are not opening that can of worms so soon after the Lamondo thing. We don’t need the scrutiny. There are other ways to gain control than by offing everybody.” As Ray described what he wanted to do instead, everyone listened respectfully but doubtfully at first, until nods started happening around the room. Ray hid his relief. He did not want to have anything to do with killing civilians, and making orphans.

Soon after the discussion turned to Mario, who had sold information to the Lamondo camp. Unfortunately Ray had no wiggle room about this. There was only one way to deal with a snitch. Still, inside he was torn. Mario had made his own bed, true, but it was all on Ray in the end. Suddenly, and with a fierce longing he hadn’t felt in a while, Ray wished Benny was there.

Ray had learned to count on Benny as his moral compass, as his guide to truth and justice. Everything seemed so black and white when Benny was around, instead of being murky compromises. Ray missed that certainty like burning. At the same time, Ray was scared of what Benny would think of him, of what he had become and done.

Shaking his head, he turned back to the discussion around him. He didn’t want to think about that, and this wasn’t the place. Ray was doing his best, he had to believe that to continue.

~FOUR~

Ray stormed furiously into his office, slamming the door against the wall. “I want this fixed today. Not tomorrow or next week, _today_. Am I understood?”

He glared at Vinnie, who stood up straighter. “Yes, boss. Jimmy’s already on it.” Vinnie looked just as angry as Ray, but also like he was scared. Ray hated that look, because it always meant trouble for him.

Panting from emotion, Ray fought to control himself. Leaning on his desk with both hands, he looked out the window at the Vegas skyline. He wondered how all the glitter and flashing lights could hold so much mayhem and unrest. He wanted his mind to focus on the philosophical, pull back from the here and now, but Ray had never been that guy. He was an action speaks louder than words kind of guy. He wanted to go out and shoot the murdering bastard who had killed one of his guys himself. Show them who they were dealing with.

Vinnie left the office to go coordinate with Jimmy; leaving Ray alone with his thoughts and anger. It took a while for Ray to stop fuming and pacing, and it was then that Ray realized he was reacting as Armando Langoustini, not Ray Vecchio. He suddenly didn’t know where Ray ended and The Bookman began. It was a chilling thought, and his blood ran cold.

Stopping in the middle of the room, Ray looked at his shaking hands. Clenching them into fists, he willed them to be still.

~FIVE~

Ray felt like he was sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss. He was losing himself in being The Bookman. He no longer knew when he was making decisions as Ray or as The Bookman. He tried calling up his handlers, and telling them he was done, but they talked circles around him, until he was re-convinced to stay on.

Ray knew he was acting unlike himself _and_ unlike The Bookman, and that everyone around him had noticed. He couldn’t help it though. Second-guessing everything he did was the only way he felt he could stay sane.

Things came to a head when Mike Dimalto came rolling into town. He was trouble from the word go, busting heads and doing his best to usurp The Bookman’s place. Ray suspected that the Eastern Families were backing him, retaliation for Anthony Lamondo, but he was acting on his own agenda, which involved a major grudge against The Bookman. Every hit he did, or place he busted up, was a big ‘Fuck You’ to Ray. Too bad Ray had no idea what the grudge was about.

Ray knew that he couldn’t trust his guys to take care of this. It was too personal, and too obviously pointed. He was going to have to take out Mike Dimalto himself. He knew he could do it, he had learned that much about himself over the past year, but he didn’t know if he could do it with The Bookman’s ruthlessness. And he had to do it that way, or the vultures circling him would see his weakness and come in for the kill.

As the plan came to fruition, and the hour drew near, Ray felt like he was moving through molasses. Everything was slowed down and poignant. There was the push-pull of The Bookman and Ray battling it out in his head. He knew he had the rage and anger to fuel him, but he was worried about losing another piece of Ray in the process. 

As the limousine drove into the desert behind the SUV holding a bound Mike Dimalto, Ray cleared his mind. Enough was enough. He knew what he had to do, and what he would lose in the process would just have to be. The limousine stopped, but Ray waited until his lieutenants dragged Mike Dimalto to the edge of the hole they had dug. Then he got out, unlocking the safety on his gun. With ice in his veins, Ray walked until he was right in front of the guy. Then he shot him between the eyes.

~ONE~

When Ray opened the door, his heart stopped. He quickly caught himself, shaking his head at Benny, but the damage was already done. Ray’s mind raced through all the possible scenarios, but there was only one real solution that saved Benny. And nothing the Feds could cook up would make Ray risk Benny.

For Ray, Benny was his gauge for goodness and honor. There was no way he would risk Benny’s life just to maintain his cover.

The next few minutes, Ray kept control of the situation by sheer force of will, and by using all of The Bookman’s reputation for icy control. He ordered Benny and the new Ray Vecchio into the bathroom, and took out his gun. Following them, he closed the door. When Benny tried to say something, he stopped him to maintain character. He couldn’t let go until the room was cleared, and Benny was safe.

He pointed his gun at the bathtub, and fired two shots. The new guy fell first, and then Benny fell, both with loud thumps to make it sound authentic.

He then went to finish the deal.

Finally, Ray listened as Benny and the new Ray Vecchio took care of The Bookman’s goons. He looked in the mirror and stripped off Armando Langoustini’s mustache, and he finally felt free after a year of drowning. Not that he wouldn’t give Benny grief for ruining his cover. 

As Benny and the new guy left the bathroom, Ray turned around. He ranted at Benny, talking about Nero and the gangster lean, but inside he could feel Ray Vecchio crowing. As Benny said, “It’s good to see you, Ray,” Ray gave one final mental kick to The Bookman, and let his relief wash over him. Hugging Benny, he hoped he could finally put all this behind him. He knew it wouldn’t be easy. Being The Bookman would haunt his nightmares for years to come, but hopefully in the final reckoning it will have been worth it.

Of course it wasn’t that easy to leave it behind. There was the botched meet, and then the chase with the new guy. But then he got to save Benny’s life, and if he could save one good man, the best man he knew, maybe it would help mitigate all the bad men he was instrumental in taking out.

Looking at Benny from his hospital bed, Ray felt more like a cop than he had in a long time. Being a cop was all about sacrifices and doing the honorable thing. Benny had taught him that. He knew Benny was here for him, and would remain by his side until forced away. So he gathered his strength, and told Benny to get the bad guy. They exchanged looks, and Benny nodded at Ray one last time. He knew Benny would succeed, for him, and he knew he would rebuild his soul as a good man, for Benny.


End file.
